Government of the Federated States of Micronesia

FSM Millennium Development Goals' Capacity Building Initiative Project

Palikir, Pohnpei (FSM Information Services): February 2, 2010 - The FSM is currently undergoing a Capacity Building Initiative Project directed at training national and state employees, along with people in the private sector, on collecting and analyzing data for the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). The project is led by Ms. Cecilia Azevedo Sodre, a United Nations Volunteer who is the MDG Project Manager assigned to the FSM, under the direct supervision of the Office of SBOC (Statistics, Budget, Overseas Development Assistance, and Compact Management). Ms. Sodre will conduct a statistical assessment and training on the MDG indicators for employees from the Departments of Health, Education, Resources & Development and the Environment in the four state governments and the FSM National Government, and also for people in civil society and non-government organizations. In addition, Ms. Sodre will be working on the MDG Database which will store MDG indicators and MDG related data from 1990 to present. The main purpose of the database is to assist the four state governments and the FSM National Government in reporting on MDGs as well as national and state development goals in a more regular and systematic manner.

This project is in support of the FSM towards its achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. The statistical assessment and training focused on government employees, NGO's and private sector representatives are expected to result in a better use of data as a basis for policy making and formulation of medium term plans that will ultimately help to ensure the most vulnerable people in society are adequately targeted by government policies, programmes and plans. The MDG training will be focused on developing the capacity to collect, analyze, monitor and report on disaggregated data, especially in terms of gender, state/municipality and urban/rural areas.

The Capacity Building Initiative Project was approved by the national government in May 2008, and is implemented by the Office of Statistics, Budget & Economic Management, Overseas Development Assistance and Compact Management (SBOC) with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). In October 2009, the FSM National Government workers underwent the MDG workshop followed by Pohnpei State workers in November and by Kosrae State, Chuuk State and Yap State workers last December. Currently, the activities with regards to statistical assessment and training, and the MDG Database are being done in Yap State from January 26th, 2010 until February 26th. Then it will be held in Chuuk from March 1st to April 1st and in Kosrae from April 3rd until May 3rd. In addition to the trainings, consultations for the FSM States are currently being conducted for data collection and analysis from 1990 to present for the Indicators set forth in the MDG Report.

For more information on this project, please contact Ms. Lynn Carlos at the Office of SBOC at (691) 320-2823.